Does your battery terminal spark when connecting battery cable?

[mikez71]

I disconnected and cleaned the battery cable terminals on my '05 Suburban...
BUT noticed when removing and re-attaching the negative cable, that it makes sparking sounds.
Noticeably more than my '12 Tahoe (if it sparks at all..)

Is this normal? Or do I have extra current draw somewhere?
The Tahoe is top post, and this Suburban is side post..

 

[OR VietVet]

A small spark, that you can even hear, is typically not a problem. Especially if connect negative last. Remove negative first and install negative last.

 

[JoeBlobs]

Very normal my man.

 

[Doubeleive]

I disconnected and cleaned the battery cable terminals on my '05 Suburban...
BUT noticed when removing and re-attaching the negative cable, that it makes sparking sounds.
Notriceably more than my '12 Tahoe (if it sparks at all..)

Is this normal? Or do I have extra current draw somewhere?
The Tahoe is top post, and this Suburban is side post..

ya the gmt800's will do that more than the gmt900's sometimes...
I suspect it is due to more actual wires, on the 900's they started the process of using more lan & chips and less actual wire
cheaper to send a signal to a chip to do a local process on a single wire than across a bunch of wires. ~penny pinching~

 

[adventurenali92]

My 2006’s negative cable will give a tiny lil spark when going to reconnect. Not caused any issues for me that I’ve noticed. Didn’t know that I need to reconnect positive first and then negative. Learned something new everyday lol.

 

[strutaeng]

That's normal...all my GMT800s do that.

2013 T&C minivan we own also does that, as well as my recollection of other vehicles I've owned in these years. I don't have anything never to guage or compare to, LOL.

 

[Doubeleive]

fun fact it becomes a welder if you touch the cable to the right places. I'm sure macGyver did it in a episode with a toothpick and some foil....
I tried it once or twice, recommend a welding helmet.

 

[89Suburban]

fun fact it becomes a welder if you touch the cable to the right places. I'm sure macGyver did it in a episode with a toothpick and some foil....
I tried it once or twice, recommend a welding helmet.View attachment 483474

I'm in the middle of that A-Team movie (the Murdock GIF) right now as a matter of fact.

 

[justirv]

There is a noticeable difference between spark and arc... be cautious of the second one... otherwise very normal.

 

[mikez71]

It just made lots of crackling noise until tightened.. pfftt pzzft pshh pshh pfft pfft..
Probably the little reverse indent (outdent?) tabs, taking turns making a connection..

Just noticed a Tekonsha trailer brake controller was wired hot all the time, so maybe that was adding a little extra crackle..
(or I didn't wait long enough for capacitors to drain, but LED's stayed on after key out)

 

[adventurenali92]

It just made lots of crackling noise until tightened.. pfftt pzzft pshh pshh pfft pfft..
Probably the little reverse indent (outdent?) tabs, taking turns making a connection..

Yup mine does the same little crackle until it’s tightened all the way down.

 

[ADziuk]

My 2006’s negative cable will give a tiny lil spark when going to reconnect. Not caused any issues for me that I’ve noticed. Didn’t know that I need to reconnect positive first and then negative. Learned something new everyday lol.

This is nothing new, been a mechanic for over 40 years. you always disconnect the negative battery cable first and reconnect it last because when you do it this way you are opening the electrical potential from the battery, that way if you happen to touch a bracket or metal body part, with the wrench while wrenching on the positive terminal, you don't get a direct ground and all kinds of sparks and heat!. Just the opposite on really old, positive ground, cars.